Grand Racer On The Rocks Retires A Winner

DONNA Campbell says On The Rocks was born a race dog which is why at 16 months and three days she put the bitch into her first race, a 330m at Richmond in June 2020, which she promptly won by almost four lengths.

On Monday night at Nowra, the daughter of El Grand Senor and Starboost won her 26th race, a 365m Masters, and Donna, and her owners headed by Penny Hutchinson, promptly decided to retire her.

“The time was right,” said Donna.

“She started her career a winner and has ended it the same.”

Along the way On The Rocks won the Ladbrokes Fireball at Goulburn, ran second to Bandit Ned in the G3 Nowra Puppy Classic and made the final of the G2 Sandown Laurels and the G2 Bulli Gold Cup.

On The Rocks for Donna Campbell led throughout yesterday in the 340m FFA at Bulli to record her 3rd win in a row in a #BON time of 18.95.

Full Results: https://t.co/aDSTXCNMsC#thedogs #greyhoundracing #bullidogs pic.twitter.com/qo8KJsoJyz

— The Dogs (@Thedogs_com_au) September 7, 2022

She was special through her 57 start career which resulted in those 26 wins and 15 placings for $100,000 in stakes.

“Once she reached the $100,000 in earnings on Monday, that was the time to retire her,” said Donna.

“I'm meeting up with Penny at Dapto on Thursday night and she is taking her home to get ready for her broodbitch career.

“She is tossing up between Fernando Bale and Aston Rupee at this time.”

Donna heaped praise on the bitch.

“She was born a race dog and that's why she could run in her first race at just 16 months of age,” she said.

“She tore a toenail right off and finished second, beaten a nose by Bandit Ned, in the Nowra Classic.

“And she held first section records at Richmond and Goulburn, and ran 5.36 and 16.70 first sections at Wentworth Park.”

But she was not without problems.

“She badly tore a chest muscle and it was very noticeable,” said Donna.

“It dulled her early pace.”

Donna said she and Penny and all the connections “had a wonderful time” when the bitch made the Laurels final at Sandown.

“She'd won her heat and being in that final was a huge thrill for us all,” she said.